Eli5 : What happens to the batteries when we charge or discharge them?
In: Chemistry
Batteries rely on a chemical reaction in order to provide electricity.
Your typical AA battery uses *zinc* and *manganese dioxide,* releasing electrons from the zinc end and accepting them at the manganese dioxide end.
When you discharge a battery, these chemicals change into forms that can no longer move electrons, and we consider them dead. Recharging a battery forces electrical current to flow in the opposite direction, running the chemical reactions in reverse and restoring them to their original forms.
NOTE: Recharging a battery that was not meant to be recharged (the typical AA battery noted above) can be very dangerous; don’t do it. Only recharge batteries marked as rechargeable.
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